The use of concrete barriers for the separation of lanes of traffic, or for the separation of traffic from a construction work zone, is wide-spread in North America. The most common type of concrete barrier is based on a design first used in the State of New Jersey, U.S.A. The New Jersey barrier is essentially a reinforced concrete wall composed of units roughly 13 feet in length and 32 inches high. These dimensions are representative only. The barrier profile is designed to deflect vehicles, on impact, back into their lane of the road. Concrete barriers of this type are generally used when the right-of-way of the road is narrow, either due to limitations of the surroundings or due to limitations imposed during road construction.
An important problem attending barriers of the kind just described arises from the fact that concrete tends to blend in with the surroundings due to its daylight colour, and also tends to absorb the light from vehicle headlights at night. In either case it becomes difficult for a driver to determine the position of the barrier.
Because this kind of barrier is typically used when the lane width is reduced, and changes in lane direction are more severe than normal, there is a clear need to enhance the visibility of the barrier.